For the children we support, every day can be a dangerous struggle. There are nearly 3,000 children on the streets of Kisumu with the impact of the pandemic forcing more children to the streets every day. For some, they may have fled from chaotic and abusive homes. For others, like Omondi, they find themselves on the streets trying to earn money to support their family, rather than learning in school.
Omondi’s family have little to no income and the pull of leaving school to earn a living from the streets can be too hard to resist. Omondi is a bright and friendly boy but spending so much time out of school and on the streets has drastically changed him. At just 12 years old he has been exposed to terrible dangers that no child should have to experience, causing him unthinkable trauma and leaving him with severe learning needs.
On the few occasions, he does attend school Omondi struggles in the classroom, unable to follow the teachers or keep up with his peers. Because of the time he has missed, he struggles to read, write, and grasp basic arithmetic. Watching his friends learn and make great leaps of progress leaves Omondi sadden and frustrated. School is not the happy, safe place that it should be for Omondi. Tired of the struggle, he has stopped going to school and now spends his days on the streets.
Children who are out of school and rely on the streets are not only at risk of sexual exploitation, violence, and abuse but their development is severely affected. 80% of children reliant on the streets experience disability. Without the right support, they never have the catch up on their education. They continue to rely on the street, rummaging through rubbish heaps for plastic to sell to make a few cents to buy food. In school, there are simply not enough resources to identify children’s trauma or to support their additional needs.
But this is where your support can make a difference for children like Omondi With our partner KUAP (Kisumu Urban Apostolate Programmes), we’re using our flagship Learning Support Assistant model to give 200 children the chance to learn.
We’ve trained 20 new Learning Support Assistants to provide one-on-one support to children with additional needs in the classroom. The difference they make is phenomenal, Over 60% of children working with a Learning Support Assistant have performed above average in their class!
With his own Learning Support Assistant sitting with him in class, patiently explaining his lessons. Omondi can thrive in the classroom and to ensure that children like Omondi are also supported at home, parents receive regular home visits that provide personalised support for his development and wellbeing. This holistic approach is critical to ensure that children are encouraged to continue with their studies and stay in school, rather than returning to the streets.
We know that Omondi and the hundreds of children on the streets have so much potential. Your donations are helping them to receive the support they need to learn, grow and thrive in their childhood and build a foundation for their future.
Can you help to train a Learning Support Assistant and help a child like Omondi get the education they deserve?
The cost of training a Learning Support Assistant is only £20. They are the difference between a child staying in school or ending up on the streets. You can make a difference today with just £20 today!!
